Ode to a Missing Key
by lieselmemingers
Summary: The first time Remus told her he loved her, it was Christmas, and her hair was still pink. Remus/Tonks.


**Something to put a smile on your face. Enjoy!**

**Set during the Order of the Pheonix, Tonks and Remus are in an established relationship. **

**Pure, unashamed fluff.  
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Ode to a Missing Key

The first time he told her he loved her, it was Christmas, and her hair was still pink.

Tonks had forgotten the key to her flat, and security charms prevented her from using magic to gain entrance. The snow began to fall and she sighed deeply, feeling the cold down to her bones as she sent out a quick patronus to Remus Lupin, to whom she had entrusted her spare key. He arrived quickly, apparating into the nearest secluded alleyway. Night was falling, aided by the blanket of snow which darkened the December sky.

She sighed impatiently and tucked her chin into the safety of her scarf.

"Finally," she huffed, blinking the icy drops from her eyelashes as he approached, looking extremely smug.

"Nice to see you too," he replied with a smirk, his eyes mischievous as he wrapped her up in his arms and ducked his head to kiss her.

His lips were so warm against her own in contrast to the snow, and it took her a moment to regain proper feeling in the features of her face before she could properly appreciate the gentle tug of his mouth and the press of his cold nose against her cheek. She wound her fingers into his damp hair, melting the snow.

He was distracting her, Tonks realised, and she pulled away. He protested and tried to regain control of her mouth, but she dodged him. "Stop stalling, Lupin. Cough up the goods."

"What on earth could you mean?" he asked hoarsely with a smirk.

"Remus, don't. I've been at work all day and I just want to get inside my flat. Give me my spare key. Please?" she added as an afterthought.

"Ah, well..." he looked sheepish as he tugged nervously on the hair at the back of his neck.

"Oh Merlin, you've lost it haven't you?"

"Well, I may have...misplaced it temporarily. Honestly, Nymphadora, it will turn up," he pleaded.

"Remus! How am I supposed to get into my flat? Mad-Eye put the security up, Remus. And..." Tonks broke off, looking extremely sheepish.

"And?" he asked against her forehead, his fingers at her temples.

"And I wanted to get you inside and do unspeakable things to you?" she told him, looking up through her eyelashes.

He visibly swallowed, and she saw his calm exterior waver for a moment. "Ah. Well, in that case..."

His hand disappeared into his pocket and there, clutched between his long fingers, was her glorious spare key. Tonks gaped. "You bastard, you had it all along!" she exclaimed, grabbing it. "I'm definitely not going to do unspeakable things to you now. You had your chance, you blew it. You're spending an evening with Sirius and Kreacher. Have fun."

Deep down, despite her mild anger, she still wanted to drag him into her flat and under her duvet, but he most certainly wasn't allowed to know that. It looked like he already did, though, judging by the wide grin plastered across his face.

"I don't know what you're grinning at," Tonks huffed, folding her arms.

Remus' hands went to the small of her back, drawing her close. It was difficult to resist; he was a warm shelter against the cold. His lips pressed, warm and soft against her forehead and she let her eyes fall closed. He trailed small kisses down over the swell of her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Tonks sighed, realising that her arms had unfolded themselves and her fists were clutching the front of his robes.

Tonks pushed Remus away with very little conviction. "Stop it, I'm angry at you."

He looked amused and let her fumble with the lock on her front door, her cold hands clumsy and uncooperative.

Remus came up behind her, pressing his infuriatingly warm body against her back. "Hmm, I suppose I'll just have to accept my punishment. Of course, if you send me home, I can't make it up to you..."

Tonks groaned as he gently took the key from her and fitted it swiftly into the lock, his arms either side of her. He pressed the lightest of kisses against her neck and she felt the smile on his mouth.

"Stop being so smug," she muttered.

"I'm not smug," he corrected, "just confident in the knowledge that there's no way that you're going to send me home when it's this cold, and when it's this close to Christmas. You don't have the willpower."

"Oh, really? I'll show you willpower. Go on, Lupin, off you go. I'm having a nice night in with myself. See you, Remus. Have fun watching Sirius get drunk. Maybe you'll catch Kreacher under the mistletoe."

He laughed, and she felt it as a warm gush as he pressed his lips against her ear and said, "I love you."

Tonks froze; he had never said that to her before. Her heart beat a heavy rhythm against her chest, and time stood still. Remus had frozen too, his breath warm against the back of her neck. She wanted to see his face, so she hastily turned around.

His eyes told the same story that his words had a few moments ago. They held a gentle, tender love that seemed to smoulder on the surface. His look picked her up and held her above the sky, precious and gentle and completely his, forever.

She grinned her love and dragged him through the open door. "Bloody hell, Remus. You know how to get your own way...

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**I simply had to get that out of my system so I could sleep. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review with your thoughts.**

**Eva.**


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